Muffle or furnace for annealing.



No. 874.039. PATENTED DEC. 17, 1907.

A. sMALLWooD.

vMUFFLE'OR FURNACE FO'R ANNEALING. ArPLIoATIoN FILED D110.1a,19o6.

- UNITED STATES PATENT OEEIOE.

ALFRED sMALLWoOnfoF'LoNmN, ENGLAND, A lssIdNoE To THE iNcANDE'soENT HEAT COMPANY.,` Li'iv'iifrED, OF LONDON, ENGLAND.

. MUFELEOE FURNACE vironV ii-NNEiiLiNci,v

lSi)'ec i"flicatiozi of Letters Patent.y

' lamentednee.17,1907'.`

Original application filed January' 19. 1905. Serial lo. 241,904. Divided and-this application led December 1'8, 1906. f i w rSeralNo.343.494. I

' T'all whom 'it may cohcern: I i l .Be it known that I; ALFRED SMLEwoOn,

vof 24. Coleman street, London, in thecounty of Middlesex, England, form erly of 5 2 Gracechurchstreet, London, have invented certain clare that. the following is a full, clearan d exact description of ,the same, this being a divisionvof application., Serial No.- 241,904, filed` January, 19, 1905 ,which matured into Patent vNumber"833,640, dated the lthof October, 1906.k j .In the case of furnaces for annealing tubes,

.sheets,rods and other metal articles, and

whichfurnaces are applicable vfor use connection witlrglass,potteryand -various other classes of articles, 'such furnaces consist of an annealing chamber' with a .combustion'chamber which 1s arrangedintermediately between" the fire grateand the annealingchamber Witha fire brick, fire clay orother. suitable partition between the two which in. Work becomes incandescent throughout, ,and which assists4 in igniting vthe-uncoinbusted' gases as they pass -from the `fire grate through the combustion chamber to the annealing cham'- ber, the object bein to distribute those Aparts of the'furnace w ich require to. bein a state of incandescence soas to obtain ra more vthe Sametime render most of the surrounding liningl of `the annealing chamber-incann one of p the. muflles or `,annealing furnaces; 9'0-3 Fig. 2 1s fan enlarged transverse secti'ony descent throughout, by which afmore effective distribution of the heat is obtained. -By

this arrangement the heated gasesl'ess the amount absorbed by the articles underproess of annealing,lcan 4be conveyed -to asec.-

ond, and even a third annealingcharnber thereby saving the fuel `which wouldotherwise be required for --lieating the one or two- .successive chambers.'l

' "The combustion chamber lis .placed under the annealing chamber with the reg'rate arranged at the rear or sidejofthe combustion chamber so as to be furthest removed from Vthe heat "exit,` the roof` or division between the two chambers being constructed 4with fire bricks, ihrev clay jor other material of4 a kind which is suitable for becoming incandescent i has been generated in the combustion chamber and otherwise K to form a means whereby practically complete combustion can be assisted. f.- i l In order to form the heat accumulator and Iobtain the desired result the roof is designed and constructed as yto increase the .area of the lower side' thereofgby corijugated, draft-v vboard or othersurface extensions, projections or excrescences whichlextendorproject 'l into the combustion chamber Suiiicientlyto assist in breaking up, mixing andcirculatiner the uncombusted material l andfgas'es. 'and render then-1 more amenable in their combuse tion with theoxygen. u L 7o` In furnacesfor annealing certain' articles including somecl'a'sses of tubes for the preventionof Oxidation it isnecessary that they. should ,notbe exposed orvin any way sub-A jected to` the.` external atmosphere, either'jl when under the process ofannealing .orduring thevarious stages ofcooling, and this inlvention enablesthe articles.- to vbe placed-Lin the furnacefor muffle, alsotran'sferred therefrom into'one ortwocooling chambers in -suc- 80 cession and finallyremovedv from thelast cooling chamber-without beingexposed-,to the external atmospherefduring any intermediate .chan e between-,entering .the muflie, :j and leaving t e last cooling-chamber, .While at the same' ltime the Inutile .and succeeding cooling chambers c anjall'be'in use at the".`

same time.

In the adrawingsz-Figur'e 1 isl a sectlonof v.- l-

through 'Figi4 .1 f` on the line vBBfsliowinga 4 pairofsuclifurnaces side by side. Fig. 31s an enlarged transverse-section.through Fig. -11

ori-the lines B3, B4. Fig. 4 is an enlargement 9.5,'

of one of the annealing clianibersisliow in.l if' Fig12 to furtlierillustrate.the/means of moving the goods from 4the chamber chamber, and such. cavityis extended down .105 4 "-to tlie combustion chamberfat the several points where support isvnot requiredfor the floor ofthe annealing chamber andin some cases above thefarcli of the annealing cha-m- `as an accumulator retY der qof heat vvhicli l'ber,` the lower part of the cavity in the roof. 110

of thelcombustion chamber B being enlarged at the mouth 2 .so as to readily admit of the heated gases rising up into 4and flowing through to the cavities for .the pur ose of rendering the lining of the annealing c amber A incandescent throughout a number of fire bricks or blocks of suitable material in some cases being built into the linin so as to project at intervals across the cavity to assist in conducting the heat to the lining 3.

. For facilitating the conversion of the furnace from one for o en. annealing to'one for close annealing in wlhi metically sealed during the annealing of the articles the heat exit from the combustion chamber B is eected by one or more vertical iiues 4 arranged to'convey the heat from-the combustion chamber B around the annealing chamber H and one or more vertical flues 5 connected with the flue 6 above the annealin chamber H. i

' n the application of this invention to fury naces for annealing certain articles including some classes of tubes which for the preven. l

tion kof'oxidation'it is necessary should not be exposed or in any way subjected to the external atmosphere either when under" the process. of annealing v or during thevarious stages of cooling, the annealing oven consists preferably of a chamber 11 of flrebrick, iireclay, metal or othermaterial suitable for the particular articles tobe annealed and which 1s built in the annealing chamber so as to form a clear passage therethrough from front to rear of the furnace. and alsoleave a space '13 'extending all -round between the outside of the annealinoven andthe inside of the annealing'cham er with the exception ofthe parts'14 upon which the annealingzpoven is sup orted. i

linders 15 are provided at the rear of the furnace in continuation of the annealing oven for the purpose of forming two or more cooling chambers in succession, while the annealing chamber H and' each'of the cooling chambers formed by the cylinders 15 are d1-` various purposes.

A platform 18 of similarlength to that of the annealing chamber is provided at the front of the rnace and a tramway 19 extends from the front end of the platform through the a annealing o'ven and -cooling chambers 8 and 15 and'up'ona simllar len th of platform`20` at the rear,'and upon t s tramway-the trucks such as 21 for conveying.

the'articles'fto'be annealed arearranged to ch the chamber is Aher-` able means of impartingmotion is arranged travel. endlesslchain f22-jorfother 'suitd I along the track of the tramway' and in the -v case of a chain enga 'es with a sprocket `2`3 which is mounted at t eextreme endof each platform, and by. means ofthe rearfon'e of] which the chain is drawn, the lower or return art of thechain 22 being allowed t'ohanv oose'. That portionof the track upon whic the chain rests is formed of a channel troiughl or other strip 27 and is mounted in sections;v I

the platformof-each chamber--having asepf. arate section, each section being capable ofv being separately raisedby' means of a rodl 24- with an incline 2 5 which is o erate'd fronrfthef outside of the chamber,y -w e an inverted`v projection 26 is'provided u on.each-ofthe` tracks which engageswith a k ofthe chainr':

when 4the chain and latform or trdugh are raised, but'which is c ear ofthe chain when 85j the platform or trough is in the normal position. By thesemeans 'any truckjcan be' moved'from one chamber H' to `another 15 without affecting any1-,ruck which may be in .i

another chamber, 'and without'the necessity of opening any `external door, as the inoving truck 21 willl raise oropen the-door 16 re.- I'

uired in the courseof its travel from one c amber to another, the 'door-closing by its own vavity immediately thel truck has passe while the chain 22 .being freeto.

travel independently of the trucks -canbe so moved. priortofengaging withl any particular truck that the portion of heated chain in the annealing oven is removed to the vlower return, iii-which no strain is re? Y.

quired, the cold part-of the chain being then' in position for'co'nveying vthe loaded trucks as required. l -1 It will readily be seen'fthat the particular. form of engaging'mechanism between the conveyer and the-trucks Inayf' be vvaried'so long as.the-independent transferring move- `ment of any truck vfrom one chamber to an-I other can be elfected without opening anyor mosphere.. 4 4 j In any Vof the aforementioned cases -annealing oven can be ut1 zedby assing it arran ed'at the j side o the Jfirst annealing 1 and 2 in the side walls ofthesecon'd furnace beingconnected with the oven :flues of the first chamber -in a similar mannerl to that previously described with regardto the com-v eitherl of the chambers to the external' at- I the. *I heat whiehremains after piassing around the i 1 i5 under a second annealingovenwhic may be f i chain er as illustrated by'Fig. 2, the-cavities I I ustion chamber, and in some casesithe heat remaining lafter passing the second chamber may be. passed to a third annealing chamber in the same manner.

what I c im as new and desire .to secure byf- Letters Patent isz- .u 1'. annealing--furnace-comprising al" vHaving thus fully described my invention?" l Combustion chamber, and Fanannealing'- chamber arranged4 above the combustion "j chamben a horizontalpartition separating the combustionchamber from the annealing .articles 4fffrom one .chamber to .another without 4the -necesslty of opemng any oreither of the'.

.chamber capable of becoming incandescent andl formin the floor of the annealing chamber, in coni inationwith one or morecooling .chambers communicating by doors with the nnealin chamber, a'nd'rneanswhereby the emg annealed can be conveyed chambers to the external atmosphere2 An' annealing furnace comprlsingv*a* combustion chamber, an anneahn ,chamber arranged above the combustion c amber, a

horizontal partitionse arating .the combustion chamber from t e annealingl chamber vcapableof becoming incandescent and forming the floor of the annealing chamber,

-surface extensions-formin part of the horizontal partition and of t ef'same material and projecting into the combustion chamber combustion chamber, an annealing chamber'.

in the path of the gases passing therethrough, one or more cooling chambers communicat-A ing by doors with the annealing chamber,l and a carrying means wherebythe articles can be conveyed from one-chamber to another without the necessity of opening any of the chambers to the external atmosphere.

3. An i annealing furnace comprising a .combustion chamber, an annealin chamber arranged'ab'ove the combustion c amber, a horizontal partition se arating the combustion chamber from the annealing cham.- ber capable of becoming incandescent and forming the i'oor `of the annealing chamber, surface extensions formin part of the horizontal partition and of 't e same material thereas and projecting into the .combustion chamber to another without the necessity of opening any or either ofthe chambers-.to the external atmosphere.

4. An annealing furnace comprising a arranged above the combustion chamber, a

horizontal partition separating the combus-y tion chamber from the heating chamber capable of becomingl incandescent and forming the floor of the annealing chamber, surface extensions forming partof the horizontal partition and' of the same material thereas and projecting into the combustion chamber in the path of the gases passing therethrough,

and extensions of *the combustion chamber at the sides of lthe annealing chamber, the lower end of Vsaidfextensions of-.tl1e"'combustion chamber being'enlarged to'freelyadmit the".

'gases in the combustion chamber into said extensions, in combinationwitha plurality of' `successive cooling ,chambers y'c mmu'nicati'n'g" 4bydoors with one another'and with thean- .nealing chamber, and means whereby the ar- 'ticles being annealed may `be. conveyed from one chamber to that succeedingit Without f the necessity of openin'gany o r either offthe` j chambers -to 'the external atmosphere.

5.a' Anl annealin furnace comprisin a combustion [cham er, andV 'an annea ing chamber arranged` above the combustion chamber., a horlzontal .partition separating, -I

and forming the Hoor ofthe annealing chamthe combustion ,chamber from the' annealing chamber capable ofbecoming incandescent ber, in combination with an annealing oven "contained in lthe' annealing chamberwith a 'space between its walls and the-wall of the 'annealin chamber, a plurality of successive cooling c timbers, lcommunicating-by doors with lone anothefi` and with4 'ther annealingoven and *means whereby the articles being annealed may be conveyed .from one chamber to that succeeding it Without the necessity' of opening any or eitherof thechambers to the external atmosphere. 4 v

6. An annealin vfurnace comprisin -a combustion chamer, 'and anannea ing chamber arranged above the combustion chamber, a horrzontal partition ,separating the combustion chamber from the' annealing chamber capable of becomin incandescent and formin the floor of the eating chamber, in combination with' an annealing oven contained in the annealin Ichamber with a s ace left between its wal s and-the wall o f tie lannealing chamber, a plurality` o f sucv cesslve coollng chambers communicating b doors with one another and with the'annea ing oven, 'rotatable sprocket wheelsexternalto the furnacejat veach end of the same, an

endless chain engaging the sprocket wheels,

the upper part of the chain passingthrough the .annealing oven 4.and cooling chambers carriages in the annealing oven, and means the carriages to move 'them from' one chamber to the other without the necessity ofv opening any or either of the chambers tothe externa atmosphere.

combustion chamber and an anneahngjcham-4 1'15' 4for bringing the chain into engagement with -1'20 l `7-. annealing furnace vcomprising a.

berarranged above the combustion chamber,

va horizontal partition 'separating the cornbustion chamber Vfrom the 'annealing chamber, capable of becoming lincandescent and'. formin the floor ofthe annealing chamber,

in com in'ation with'an annealingoven con-l tained 1n the. annealmg chamber with aspace left between its walls and thewallof the an-j4 nealing chamber, a plurality of successive cooling chambers communicating by doors with one another and with the annealing oven, carriages in the annealing oven having downwardly projecting fingers on their under surfaces, rails for the carriages, rotatable sprocket Wheels external to the furnace, an

'endless chain 'engaging the sprocket Wheels;

the upper part of the chain passing through the annealing oven and cooling chambers, channel sections for contannng vthe endlessv v cham and means for selectively raising the channel sections to allow oi' the selective movement of thecarriages from one chamber to the other Without the necessity of opening any or either of the chambers to the external atmosphere.

In witness whereof I have hereunto set my hand in the presence of two Witnesses.

ALFRED siniLL'WooD.

Witnesses WALTER H. E. BARTLAM, ROWLAND L. GooLD. 

